The objectives of this research are: (1) to find an adequate method for the production of antibody against several carcinogenic mycotoxins (aflatoxins, patulin, penicillic acid, T-2 toxin and ochratoxin A, and cocarcinogen), their metabolites and DNA-adducts and subsequently to develop a radioimmunoassay (RIA) and an immunochemical assay for them; (2) to investigate the interaction of mycotoxins and their metabolites with homologous antibody; and (3) to study the possibility of neutralization of the mycotoxic effect through immune systems as well as the mode of the neutralization effect. Different mycotoxins and their analogs or metabolites will be coupled to proteins by the carbodimiimide technique and by mixed anhydrous method. The DNA or nucleoside adducts of aflatoxin B1 will be coupled to proteins by the reductive alkylation method. The best preparation (high mycotoxin to protein ratio) will be used for immunization in rabbits by a multiple-site injection technique. Antibody production will be followed by a binding method using radioactive ligands or by a competitive binding assay. Efforts to increase the sensitivity of RIA will be made through studies to improve the antibody titers, to optimize conditions for solid-phase RIA, to synthesize high specific activity radioactive ligands, and to improve the sample preparation procedures. Collaborative studies for a solid-phase RIA of aflatoxins are being planned. Interaction of mycotoxins with homologous antibody will be characterized by different physicochemical methods, and their binding constants will be determined. The possibility of neutralization of mycotoxic effects through immune systems will be tested both in vitro and in vivo. The effect of homologous antibody on the inhibitory effect of mycotoxins to some biochemical reactions will be examined in vitro. In the in vivo system, the LD50 of mycotoxin and the pharmacokinetics of binding of mycotoxin with serum proteins and macromolecules of the immunized animals will be compared with that of controls by challenging the test animals with mycotoxin 5-6 weeks after immunization.